Preparing a home before putting it on the market is a critical piece of the selling equation. We usually don’t recommend major changes — mostly clearing out and rearranging things to make rooms more open, and fresh paint where needed. Beyond that, the fewer defects with mechanicals, appliances, plumbing and electrical, the better. It’s easy to ignore a bad outlet, a missing window crank or a slow leaking pipe, but when the day comes to sell, they’ll become sticking points. Rather than putting these things off and allowing them to surface during a sale, it’s better to deal with repairs as they come up. Your home will age better and small problems won’t turn into larger ones. And as the cost of labor and materials rise, repairs today will cost you less than repairs a year from now.
Beyond maintenance, the amount of staging you do will have a direct impact on how quickly your home sells and for how much. We once listed a beautiful property brimming with gorgeous art and furniture. It was intimidating to recommend purging the house, but it had to be done. After two weeks of pulling out tables, chairs, art and collectibles, we sat down to assess our progress. The owner shook his head and said, “I wish I had done this 20 years ago.” The lesson here is, less is often more. The one thing we ask nearly every seller is to minimize the items on their shelves, counters and surfaces.
We’re all guilty of amassing, collecting and stockpiling. Turning decluttering into a monthly habit is something most of us could benefit from. Have a look at your nearest bookshelf — do you love every single thing on it? If you don’t, take two or three things you can live without and give them away. Try that in your closet as well. Most likely, like our past client, you’ll realize how liberating less can be.
Maintenance Items to Consider
- Address basement water issues. Settling soil can cause bigger problems over time.
- Keep up with minor window repairs.
- Keep up with trimming trees and vegetation away from home.
- Test well water every 3-5 years.
- Keep dryer vents lint free.
Until next time,
Mary Whitcomb and Maddie Richgels
608.712.9745 | [email protected]
Madison, WI 53703
